Children's Health and Wellbeing Outdoor Play - Coursework Example

Childrens health and wellbeing outdoor play Conceptual frame works for understanding childrens social development: Children at nurseries and kindergarten schools learn a lot from outdoor plays and games. It is more effective and easier to develop the various skills of children and to instil long lasting values and ideals in the young minds through appropriate outdoor plays that are specially designed for them. However, it calls for professionally trained teachers to conduct such outdoor plays for the children that are in tune with their cognitive, mental and physio-motor development. As Wellhousen suggests, “today the school retain its original philosophy, to understand through study, experimentation’ and research the complex development of children, and to create environments that support and promote their development” (Wellhousen 5). Kids and children are distinctive in several ways. They have great potential to understand the things, but they are in need of great supervision and attention from their teachers or parents. The first three years of time of toddlers has been considered as the most critical period for learning things because the brain development is so rapid during this short span of time. During the period of brain development kids are needed more attention and supervision. Kids are normally busy with different types of play activities that progress as they grow and have more practice conversing with adults and older children. Outdoor play is very significant for toddlers for stimulating cognitive and social emotional development. Outdoor play is included in an early childhood programmes at school because of two fundamental reasons. First reasons is that children can learn different skills through outdoor play such as exploring, risk-taking, fine and gross motor development and the absorption of vast amount of basic information. Second reason is that the excess use of TV and computer, academic standards, and educational accountability are taking time away from the play. Factors which influence children’s physical and emotional health and well being: Parents, teachers, and peer groups are the prime factors in fostering social development among children. Parents have a significant role in social development of the child. Generally a child expects an affectionate and friendly interaction from their parents. It is very necessitating factor that parents have to spend time with their children to know their problems. Parents have to give primary priority to understand child’s feelings, desire and needs and appreciate the child’s achievement with the parental pride. Parental nurturance is very important for social development for children that motivates children to live up to parental expectation and avoid hurting their loved parents. Parents are considered as the first teachers of the child and they have to set behavioural standards for the children’s mind such as to facilitate compliance, discipline and courtesy. Parents try to avoid the harsher forms of punishments even if their children have done any wrong. The punishment can be effectual in very short span of time and that often produces bitterness and anger in their mind. Play is an essential part of children’s social development that enhances their physical and cognitive development. Play helps children to understand the word of love, mutual respect, friendship, cooperation and competition. The school is the other prime factor for child’s social development and self conception. Teacher has a significant role for the formation of character development in children. A good educator can cultivate and promote social development in the child .An interaction between teachers and children plays a major role for development of children’s social competence. Generally, many students have the problem of learning disabilities. Here teacher has an important role in assisting and encouraging them to overcome these situations. Punishment is not a remedy for changing the behaviour of children. It only creates hostility towards the teachers and peer groups. There are several ways to convince the problems of child other than punishment. A good teacher should know all those things that are related to child and execute it in a good manner in the classrooms. Peer group is another important factor for self perception and to socialize skills of children. When children depart from home to kindergarten or school they start to make relationship with their same age group help them to build social relationship through playing. This friendship influences their activities and it would last for a long. This influence is very stronger than that of parents and “studies of children’s play ground behavior have shown bullying, teasing, aggression, and acrimonious power struggles between rival groups and individuals are also feature of a peer cultures” (Woodhead et al 3). Every child is from different background and their perspectives are different. So when dealing with other perspectives they regularly have a second thought of their own point of view. The same age relationship helps to analyse themselves and also capable of understanding about their family. There are several factors that affect children’s physical and emotional health and well being. Good health is considered as the symbol of good citizenship. Healthy food and physical activities has playing a major role for children’s physical and emotional health. Physical activity like outdoor play is very important for children’s health and their mental well being. As Woodhead et al states: “children’s play has been studied by historians, biologists, sociologists, folklorists, educationalists, and psychologists. The more specific topic of play in schools has also received a good deal of study and attention” (Woodhead et al 101). Children are often like to play outdoors because it provides fresh air and lots of exercise. It also provides creative growth and mental development for a child. walk, run, jump, jump rope, dance, climb stairs, jog, hike, skate, tennis, racquetball, soccer, basketball, field hockey, volleyball, softball, are the examples of common outdoor play. Today we seem that children’s are not getting enough time for outdoor play because of their hectic syllabus. In the modern society children are engaged with watching television and internet instead of playing. Physically and mentally healthy children only can lead the society to a bright future. Therefore children’s outdoor play can contribute to achieve this goal. The principles and values, which underpin their work in supporting the well being of children within their families and communities: Wellbeing is considered as a versatile concept with diverse qualities. Economists describe wellbeing as a wealth of human being. Social wellbeing is somewhat depends on the social structure of one’s life. The good relationship with community can maintain good health conditions, durability, productivity and a positive attitude. The family support is the main component of wellbeing of children. Today we seem that many children are suffering from mental and physical health problem. This illness can be ruining their life forever. This can be lead to tragic consequences such as health problem, poor academic achievement, lack of vocational success, and substance etc. the emotional problems not only affects in children but also effects their families, schools, and the communities. Hall & Elliman purport that the “health of children is first and foremost a parental responsibility; society has a vested interesting in ensuring that the rights and needs of children are respected. Health in childhood is not only by biological factors, but also by the lifestyle and problems of the parents, including unemployment, low income and poor housing. Individual and community relationships play a major role in health” (Hall & Elliman 6). There is a discussion about how a play became both a healthy development and a challenge for children. The complication which they face in their play makes them cognitively, physically, socially and emotionally developed individuals. The play which they selected without any suggestion permits children to become skilled at how to work in groups, to carve up, to discuss, to resolve clash and to learn more about self-support skills. Children develop destructive tendency by holding the violent images which they enacted in their play and acquired by the influence of television, violent video games and war like locations and by performing hero figures. The realistic appearance of images in the media increases the fearfulness and aggressiveness in their thoughts and actions. Naturally a child who keeps aloof from play or uses play to wound others will grow to be a rude. Supports that may be used to promote the development of vulnerable children: “Economic factors such as living in poverty, and social factors, such as the warmth of parenting, support from family friends, and neighbors, the type of housing and the safety of the environment, have the greatest impact on health and wellbeing”( Underdown 1). Millions of young children in the world live without parents or caregivers. There are millions of children suffering from many disabilities .Vulnerable child are facing so many challenges in his or hers life. Education, nutritious food, cloth, shelter, basic healthcare are the basic problems of vulnerable children. These children required families and communities care, protection, and assistance, to meet their basic needs. The other problems of Vulnerable children are here it follows: economic hardship, lack of affection and attention from parents and society, drop out from school at early ages, psychological distress, loss of inheritance, increased abuse and risk of HIV infection, malnutrition and illness, stigma, discrimination and isolation. For this reasons they needed extended families and communities care for their development. There are several communities and government programs working for the accomplishment of vulnerable children’s requirement. These programs would aim to provide maximum care for maximum children without compromising quality. Communities and other households support vulnerable children to strengthen their economic bolster. Communities always take care of the basic needs of vulnerable children such as food, education, and shelter. In recent years we seem that many children are suffering HIV infection and other illness. Therefore government has to build up hospital and provide qualified doctors and nurses for their consultation and nursing. Children’s caregivers have to apply healthy attitudes such as use of toilet and hygienic preparation of cooking. Caregivers should have a quality of identifying child illness symptoms, and knowing when to need medical checkup. Vulnerable children needed sufficient nutritious food to flourish. This is very essential for children’s physical and mental balance. Links between research, policy and their own professional practice and their impact on children’s health and well being: The research and policy facilitate to improve the children’s health and well being. Scotland government always ensured that their young children are fit and healthy. Healthy children can not only learn well at schools but also can lead happy, healthy and productive working lives. There are so many health promoting schools in Scotland. These schools have their own and garden where cooking and special lunches are offered for the children (Delivering a Healthy Scotland). Scottish pre- school Play Association is a registered charitable society. This Association is mainly concentrating on the importance of play and propagates how does play help the children to learn about the world. Outdoor play helps vulnerable children’s for the development of physical talent, for increasing confidence, and for promoting social and behavioral skills. There are many studies that focus on children between the age of three to six which highlight “the importance of high-quality provision in improving the cognitive and social behavioral development of vulnerable children” (Garrick 52). In 1999, number of policies have been introduced which aimed at improving the health of children specially those who have disabilities. The policy called Sure Start was introduced in UK in 1999. The vision of Sure Start Agenda was inventive and was formed along values of community capability and empowerment that would permit parents to take part in running and deciding on the matter of activities. Sure Start represented a unique to early intervention for children in an attempt to change existing services (Underdown 70). Sure Start evaluation did not show any development in the attitude or other skills of the children in the poorest families. This program does not make any measurable impact on disadvantaged children and their communities. Child health discriminations will be condensed internationally only if suitable financial health and social policies are able to reduce inequalities and make sure that all communities have access to proper health services. Works Cited Carrick, Ros. Playing outdoors in the early years. Continuum International Publishing Group, 2004. Delivering a Healthy Scotland Meeting the Challenge: Health Improvement In Scotland Annual Report. The Scottish Government, 2006. 15 Jul. 09 < http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2006/11/29141927/4> Hall, D.M.B and Elliman, David. Health for All Children. Illustrated 4th edn: Oxford University Press, 2006. Underdown, Angela. Young childrens health and well-being. McGraw-Hill International, 2007. Wellhousen, Karyn. Outdoor play, every day: innovative play concepts for early childhood. Illustrated Edition: Cengage Learning, 2001. Woodhead et al. Making sense of social development. Illustrated Edition: Routledge, 1999. Read More